25-2708. Preservation of ballots and election records; distribution of abstracts of voting. (a) The county election officer shall preserve all ballots, books and records delivered to such officer by election boards and make the same available to any canvassing board or election court who it is provided by law shall have access to the same.

(b) The county election officer shall preserve all county, city, school district and township ballots for six months and all state and national ballots for 22 months. At the expiration of such time, the county election officer shall destroy them without previously opening any of the envelopes, in the presence of two electors of approved integrity and good repute, members of the two leading political parties. Such electors shall be designated by the board of county commissioners. If the election of any officer or any question submitted at such time is being contested, the ballots shall not be destroyed until such contest is finally decided. In all cases of contested elections, either of the parties contesting shall have the right to have such ballots opened and to have all errors of the judges in counting the ballots corrected by the court or body trying such contest. Such ballots shall be opened in open court or in an open session of such body and the presence of the officer having the custody thereof.

(c) The three copies of the certified abstract of each voting place and the three copies of all certified abstracts of the county board of canvassers shall be distributed as follows:

(1) One copy shall be retained as a permanent record in the office of the county election officer.

(2) One copy shall be delivered to the chairperson of the county committee of the political party of the candidate for governor who received the greatest number of votes in the last state general election.

(3) One copy shall be delivered to the chairperson of the county committee of the political party of the candidate for governor who received the second greatest number of votes in the last state general election.

(d) Other election supplies, books, records, lists and papers shall be destroyed as provided by law.

History: L. 1968, ch. 406, § 40; L. 1974, ch. 106, § 5; L. 1988, ch. 122, § 1; L. 1989, ch. 108, § 4; July 1.